Woodlands sprinkler operation criticized

Published 7:00 pm, Friday, July 26, 2002

The concern comes in the wake of a recent warning by The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency that water restrictions are imminent unless consumption in the area decreases.

In addition, the Parks and Recreation Department is preparing to propose an irrigation system costing at least $250,000 to better manage the area's irrigation.

At issue is whether the Parks and Recreation Department is knowingly watering the area's 89 parks and more than 400 medians and neighborhood entry ways during the rain.

Woodlands Community Service Corporation officials said that is not the case, even with sporadic reports by residents of sprinklers watering parks while it is raining.

"With as large of a system that we have and with the geographical span, we do a pretty good job," said John Powers, Parks and Recreation Department director. "We need residents to be good eyes if they see something."

Powers said the department's more than 600 sprinklers in The Woodlands have sensors on them measuring irrigation levels for each particular field.

Some fields need more water than others; and even though it may rain, the level of water may not be the amount needed for particular parks, fields or other locations, he said.

Sprinklers may be on during the rain because the water levels needed to trigger the sensors have not been reached.

However, Powers said, irrigation in The Woodlands usually takes place in the early hours of the morning, with some parks watered through the night.

Powers said this means that if a resident sees watering during the day, either technicians are testing particular sprinklers, special irrigation is taking place for fertilizing or something may be wrong.

"It only takes one (sprinkler) for somebody to think we have a problem in the whole irrigation system," said John Rutledge, Woodlands Community Service Corporation assistant general manager. "It's one of our biggest challenges."

Rutledge said 99 percent of the sprinklers are working. But with an area as large as The Woodlands, Powers said, checking all sprinklers all the time is challenging for the two staff members responsible for the inspections.

Powers said each park is checked weekly during the irrigation season, which takes place from April to October.

To help with the watering, Powers said, the department is considering a plan to propose a $250,000 centralized irrigation system for the Woodlands Community Service Corporation board approval.

The system would be centralized at the department's office, with sensors for inspectors to see which sprinklers are not working.

In addition, the system will have several satellites to help relay information to the central computer, and weather stations would be in place to guide the sprinklers.